Incompetent cervix?

[Starlive22]

Hello! This is my first question and I'm hoping for some help. I had a procedure on my cervix a few years ago, this is my first pregnancy.

From what I understand because of the procedure my doctor said at the outset that he was going to monitor my cervix for problems. Well fast forward and thanks to a couple of administrative errors this was never looked at.

Finally I did get it looked at at 23 weeks where they said it looked fine at 4cm.

My problem is this...they did the scan from my tummy and my midwife said they should have done it internally. The doctor said it looked fine and I was happy with this but now the midwife has frightened me a bit, could it be so different? Surely they are measuring the same thing? And I was assured it was in the normal range.

Anyone has any experience with this? I've never heard of it and I don't want to freak out, especially as hospital won't scan me again, but she's put the frights up me

Thank you,

Cassie x

Ask for another scan done properly from the midwife. And keep asking until you get it. The midwife shouldn’t have mentioned it because it is possible to have a good enough scan externally - so many midwives spread misinformation. Punish her for it.

Hello!! Thank you for replying so quickly!!

The hospital have said they won't do another one as they weren't worried about the length. Their policy is to do a tummy scan and if it looks too small or short or whatever then they do an internal but only then.

The midwife was actually the one who failed to put it in my notes anyway to allow me to be scanned earlier. I'm a bit scared now though even though Dr was lovely and said it looked fine

I’m being monitored for incompetent cervix after cancer cell removal on my cervix. I’ve had 2 internal scans, 1 at 16 weeks and 1 at 21 weeks and I have another at 24 weeks which they have said will be my last? Mine is 4cm too. I’m surprised they measured it abdominally really!

Yes they said they should have measured it at 16 and 20 weeks but because it wasn't in my notes it didn't get picked up until I spoke to the Dr for something unrelated.

I feel really worried now. I felt great when I came out before as the Dr said 4 was good, how different can the measurements be?

Stupidly I've been googling loads of horror stories about people giving birth on the toilet and not knowing it was going wrong until it was too late. I'm 25 weeks now,they said they don't need to do it again. I can't push for another scan they have just said outright no but not to worry about it

"Punish her for it?" Don't you sound lovely.

I just wondered if I was being silly being worried scared, I don't want to second guess my doctor or midwife I just don't know much about this and wondered if anyone had any advice x

Has anyone ever heard of these different types of scans? Internal and external? I'm getting myself really upset now. I know it's rare and I keep reading about it but the more and more I read the worse these stories seem to get, I didn't realise how serious this condition could be, I would have made sure it was brought up earlier if I had known

You can get your cervix length checked internally privately, but it’s expensive. The scanning place I went to on Harley street years ago used to do it for £150, carried out by a consultant. Might be more now as this was 10 years ago,

Oh crikey I wouldn't have that sort of money, don't live anywhere near London! Do you think it would be necessary? Will obviously get the money together somehow if needed as I'd do anything to keep the baby safe but from what I understand from reading a little bit 4cm is a good length? I think that's why they didn't follow it up with an internal scan.

I just wondered if anybody knew why the midwife would have said it was so unreliable when the Dr was happy? Could the results differ so drastically?

Gosh I'm a bit stuck, maybe somewhere cheaper could do the scan if needs be?

4cm is a good, absolutely normal, average length and I really don’t think having an internal scan in addition would produce such a wildly different result as to be a problem - hope this can reassure you a bit. When I was pregnant with DS1 I had my 20 week scan at 22 weeks, and by accidentally taking the scanner too low on my belly, the sonographer spotted that my cervix was opening from the inside (I think it was around 1cm in length). An internal scan confirmed this. Internal may be a bit more accurate, but I think your midwife was worrying you unnecessarily as 4cm is absolutely fine and an ultrasound scan isn’t going to lie. X

Oh phew thank you! Guess I'm just a bit nervous and just wanted a bit of reassurance as I'm not very very knowledgeable about this.

I'm sure Midwife was only trying to be cautious but as it wasn't going to help as the hospital wouldn't scan me again, it just left me panicking instead...and of course google doesn't help. I should have known better!